Radioactive waste found in Santa Monica grocery dumpster turns out to be a diaper

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The radioactive material found in a Santa Monica dumpster turned out to be a diaper that someone wears while getting radiation therapy. It apparently wasn't disposed of properly.

Earlier:

Santa Monica city workers detected some radioactive waste Wednesday in a dumpster behind an Albertson’s grocery store at the corner of Lincoln and Ocean Park Blvd.

Hazmat teams remain on the scene. No one is being allowed inside the store.

Judah Mitchell with the Santa Monica Fire Department said workers with the city’s waste recovery department had been getting some odd readings while they were on assignment, so they decided to investigate.

“And as they were approaching one of the dumpsters with one of their radiation monitors about 30 feet from the dumpster, they started getting a reading," said Mitchell. "And of course they knew to stop right there."

Mitchell said officials haven’t identified the source of the radioactive waste.